Amusement device



June a, 1943. R. DU FONT 2,321,371

AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filedv Aug. 9, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOVR Ric/mm! .C. du Pont WNW ATTORN EY June 8', 1943. R. c. DU PONT AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed Aug. 9, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IIZ V INVENTOR Richard 0. d0 Pant (mm m- ATTORNEY Patented June 8, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,321,371 AMUSEMENTDEVICE Richard 0. du Pont, Wilmington, Del;

Application August 9, 1940, Serial No. 351,931

2 Claims.

This invention relates to amusement devices and more particularly to an improved device of the type including a missile and athrowing implement for hurling the missile with both a forward and rotational velocity and also adapted to catch a thrown missile.

In accordance with the present invention, a missile or rotor is provided which is essentially cylindrical in shape. A throwing implement (hereinafter called a tossing and receiving stick or simply stick) is provided having a generally unciform body iormedwith an inner fiat surface on which the rotor is caused'to roll to impart a rotational velocity to the rotor. The longer of the legs or arms of the unciform body is concavely shaped and preferably provided with a friction surface whereby the rotor can be hurled by means of the stick and at the same time has a rotational velocity imparted to it. The other, and shorter leg, is adapted to engage and catch the rotor when it is traveling toward the operator, or player.

An object of the invention is the provision of an improved amusement device of the stick and missile type wherein the missile can be thrown so that it will return to the thrower, or follow a predetermined path to another player.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved tossing and receiving stick so formed that the operator can conveniently and rapidly catch and hurl the missile.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a missile of such construction that it is relatively stable when in flight and follows a pre-' determined path.

Various other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following particular description and from an inspection of the accompanying drawings.

Although the novel features which are believed to be characteristic of this invention will be particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto, the invention itself, as to its objects and advantages, and the manner in which it may be carried out, may be better understood by referring to the following description taken in con nection with the accompanying drawings forming apart hereof, in which Fig. l is a view in perspective of the tossing and receiving stick with the rotor in position ready to be hurled from the stick;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view partially in cross section showing particularly the construction of the handle portion of the-stick;

Fig; 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view show-' ing the rotor;

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the manner in which the stick androtor are employed When two persons are playing;

Fig; 5 is a diagrammatic View illustrating the operation when a single person is playing;

Fig. .6 is a sideelevationa-l view of another embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the structure of Fig. 6;

Fig; 8 is an enlargedfragmentary, cross-sectional view'taken along line 8-B of Fig. 6; and

Fig. 9 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken through the: rotor illustrated inFig. 6.

In the following description and in the claims, variousdetails will be identifiedby specific names for convenience, but they are intended to be as generic in their application-as the art will permit. Like reference characters denote like parts in the several'figures of the drawings.-

The tossing and receiving stick I has a generally unciform' body defining a; throwing portion or arm' 3, a receiving portion or arm 4 opposite the throwing arm, and a'smoothly curved portion 5 joining the throwing and receiving arms. Both the throwing arm 3 and the receiv ing arm 4; and especially the throwing arm 3, preferably are formed so as to be somewhat flexible, for a purpose which will hereinafter appear.

The throwing arm 3 is somewhat longer than the receiving arm 4 and projects beyond the latter, and preferably is formed with a slight inward concavity, as illustrated particularly in Fig. 1. For the purpose of'enhancing the rotational effect imparted to the rotor, when it is thrown, the inner surface of. the throwing arm'3 or a portion thereof is provided with a friction material 1 or. formed in such manner as to be frictionable. For example, a strip .of tar. tape or a strip-of rubber'may'be appliedto the stick .or friction paint maybe applied, or the surface may be formed 'of a material inherently frictionable, or it-may be knurled .or provided-with fine transverse ribs.

The receivingarm 4 preferably is formedwith an out turned end'6 which facilitates engaging a thrown rotor, as will be explained.

The stick I is provided withahan'dle or hand grip 8 attached to the body of the stick in asuitable manner, as'by a bracketiS-an'd stem Ill. The handle 8 preferablyis freely rQtatabIe- 'on'the stem [0, about its axis, thuspermitting'thebddy of the stick to be quickly turned to'an inverted.-

position relative to the handle when the stick is being used.

The missile or rotor 2, illustrated particularly in Fig. 3, includes a body 20 of generally cylindrical shape which may be either solid or hollow. Preferably, the rotor is made of light material, such as cardboard, Celluloid, balsa wood, cork or the like, so that the rotor will not descend too rapidly when hurled into the air. The rotor 2 is provided with one or more flanges 2I and in the present embodiment two flanges are shown which preferably are located adjacent the ends of the rotor 2. The flanges 2| are of substantially greater diameter than the body 20 of the rotor 2 and when the rotor 2 is hurled from the as rsti stick I, the flanges serve to stabilize the travel 7 of the rotor and prevent it from turning relative to its path of forward movement.

Where the rotor is provided with two flanges at the ends, the body of the stick is, of course, of less width than the distance between flanges except where other provision is made, as will be explained hereinafter.

If desired, one or more whistles can be attached to or formed in the rotor, and thus, when the rotor is hurled by means of the stick, the rapid rotation of the rotor will cause it to sing and whistle. For example, as shown in Fig. 3, the body of the rotor may be of hollow construction and openings 22 provided therein.

The stick I and rotor 2 may be employed in various ways for amusement and exercise and two modes of employing this device are disclosed herein.

Where it is desired for two or more persons to play, each person is equipped with a tossing and receiving stick, and one or more rotors are provided. The first player holds his stick with the throwing portion 3 in a horizontal position approximately as illustrated in Fig. 1 and places the rotor thereon, at a point near the inner end of the throwing arm 3. w

The .stick is then given a whipping overhand motion with the throwing arm 3 rearwardly, as illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 4. The rotor 2 thus is caused to roll outwardly along the throwing arm 3 and at the same time, a rotational velocity is imparted to the rotor.

In order that the rotor will not fall away and will either return to the thrower or proceed to a second player, the rotor should be thrown so that its axis of rotation is horizontal. Accordingly, the throwing motion of the stick should be in a vertical plane, whether the motion be an overhand or an underhand motion.

The rotor is hurled from the end of the stick in a direction determined by the motion of the stick but, owing to the high rotational velocity of the rotor, the different air pressures on the leading and trailing surfaces of the rotor, cause it to zoom upwardly in a steep climb.

The various forces acting upon the rotor, in-

cluding the forward motion imparted by the stick, the force of gravity, and the differential air pressures on the front and rear portions of the rotor which are developed by rotation of the rotor, cause it to perform either one of two movements adjacent the peak of its flight, depending upon various factors.

In one of these movements, the'rotor performs a loop and then falls away along a path which is generally similar in shape to, butreversed in direction and away from itsupward path. The path travel is illustrated somewhat diagrammaticallyin Fig. 4. 1 1

In'the other movement, the rotor climbs upwardly to the peak -of its travel, then halts momentarily, and then falls away along its downward path. In other words, instead of looping, the rotor follows a cusp-like path.

The second player catches the rotor by properly positioning the stick with the receiving arm 4 upwardly and in line with the path of the rotor 2 so that the rotor engages either the inner surface of the receiving arm or the curved portion 5, and preferably, the former. The outturned end 6 facilitates engaging the rotor by the receiving arm 4. The rotor rolls onto the throwing arm 3 and the catching player can then, by a suitable overhand movement of the stick, hurl the rotor either back toward the first player or toward a third player. The catching and throwing movement of the stick can be substantially a single continuous movement, with the rotor executing a substantially continuous rolling movement from the receiving arm to the throwing arm, or the rotor can be halted, as desired.

Where there is a single player, and it is desired that the rotor 2 return to the player, the rotor 2 is placed on the stick I in a position similar to that illustrated in Fig. l. The stick I, however, is swung with an underhand motion, the throwing arm 3 remaining downwardly relative to the receiving arm and not inverted, as described in connection with the overhand throwing motion.

When the stick I is given an underhand throwing motion, the rotor 2 is caused to rotate in a direction opposite to its rotation when thrown overhand and thus the curve executed by the rotor 2 is a closed curve, as illustrated in Fig. 5, and not an open curve. Accordingly, the rotor 2 tends to return to approximately its initial point and thus can readily be caught by the thrower, in a manner similar to that described above.

Various modifications may be made in either the tossing and receiving stick, or in the rotor, or in both. One modified form of the device is illustrated in Figs. 6 to 9, to which reference now is made. In this form the tossing and receiving stick is provided with a central slot and the rotor is formed with a central flange adapted to travel.

in the slot.

The tossing and receiving stick IUI is formed with a throwing arm I03, a receiving arm I04,

and a smoothly curved arcuate portion I05, all of.

suitably secured in spaced parallel relation by U- shaped brackets or cleats II2 suitably spaced along the body portion III, this arrangement providing a slot II3 extending throughout the length of the stick IIII. The slot H3 is of sufficient width to accommodate a flange on the rotor. Each bracket II2 is formed with a central U-shaped portion of sufficient depth to permit the flange to pass by as the rotor rolls along the body of the stick.

The ends I06 of the body members III are curved upwardly and outwardly, as illustrated particularly in Fig. 7, for a purpose which will hereinafter be explained.

The rotor (see Fig. 9) is formed in any suitable manner and is provided with a central flange of greater diameter than the body. One-- embodiment of this type of rotor is illustrated in Fig. 9 and includes two body portions I20 secured together and in alignment by a rivet I23 cooperating with washers I24 which clamp against inturned flanges I25. A flange I2I is defined by a disc clamped between the body portions I20 and positioned by the rivet I23 which passes through the disc I2I. The ends of the body portions I20 may be closed in a suitable manner, as by end plugs I25, or they may be left open.

The stick and rotor illustrated in Figs. 6 to 9 is used in a manner similar to that illustrated in Fig. 1. However, the cooperation between the stick and rotor is slightly different, as will be apparent. In the second form of the invention, the single flange IZI passes along in the slot II3 as the body I 20 of the rotor rolls along the inner surface of the stick. Also, when the rotor is caught by the receiving arm I64, the flange IZI of the rotor must be received between the hornlike ends I86 in order to enter the slot H3. As noted above, these ends are turned upwardly and outwardly and thus the space between them at their outermost ends is substantial and it is, therefore, relatively easy to so position the stick that the flange enters between the ends I06.

' The ends I06 are formed with smoothly curved inner edges which serve to guide or cam the flange into the slot I I3 as the rotor rolls along the receiving arm IOI.

The present invention provides a novel amusement and exercise device which is of relatively simple construction and which can be made of comparatively inexpensive materials. The device readily adapts itself for construction in miniature form for use by relatively young children, and is equally adapted for construction in larger sizes for use of adults. The rotor can be made of very light material so that it can be used indoors, or it can be made considerably heavier and thereby can be thrown relatively long distances.

The device is relatively simple and inexpensive, and sticks can be provided for any number of players and a game played in a manner somewhat analogous to volley ball or deck tennis, wherein teams are stationed on opposite sides of a net or barrier over which the rotor is tossed alternately by players on the opposing teams. The device also lends itself readily to other arrangements of players or teams and innumerable types of games wherein a missile is tossed and received.

While certain novel features of the invention have been disclosed herein, and are pointed out in the annexed claims, it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions and changes may be made by those skilled in th art without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In an amusement device, a tossing and catching stick comprising a U-shaped member having a comparatively long and substantially straight throwing arm and a comparatively short and substantially straight catching arm connected by a curved bight, the throwing arm being slightly concave inwardly and having friction material on its inner surface at its outer end, said throwing arm having some flexibility to obtain whipping action, said catching arm having an out-turned tip, a handle connected to said bight and comprising a stem substantially in iine with said catching arm, a gripping portion freely rotatable on said stem; and a flanged rotor comprising a drum portion adapted to roll on said member and a flange portion to engage an edge of said member whereby, when said handle is grasped, and the stick whipped through the air, the throwing arm trails the handle and the rotor is thrown from the throwing arm, said catching arm being adapted to catch said missile as it approaches the stick.

2. In an amusement device for tossing and catching a rotor, a tossingand catching stick comprising an open path member having a comparatively long throwing arm and a comparatively short catching arm connected by a bight of sufficiently gentle curvature to facilitate smooth rolling of said rotor thereon, said throwing arm having flexibility to obtain whipping action in the direction of said catching arm, a rod-like handle attached to said open path member at said bight and projecting oppositely from said arms, said handle being so constructed and arranged as to facilitate rotation of the stick about the handle axis and thus cause the throwing arm to trail the handle when the stick is whipped through the air, said rotor comprising a drum portion for rolling on said member and a flange portion for engaging an edge of said member, whereby, when the stick is whipped through the air, the rotor is discharged from the outer end of said throwing arm clear of the stick and said rotor may be received on the outer end of said catching arm when approaching the stick.

RICHARD C. no PONT. 

